Mail on Sunday was the best performer in the UK Sunday market in October 2011 with figures above 2m. Photograph: Mail on Sunday

The Mail on Sunday was the best performer of any title in the Sunday market in October, pushing circulation back above 2m and extending its lead over the Sunday Mirror by more than 200,000.

Daily Mail & General Trust's Sunday title reported a month-on-month circulation increase of 1.04%, to 2,000,251, a year-on-year decline of 1.82%, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures published on Friday.

For the Mail on Sunday it marks the beginning of a reassertion of its dominance over the Sunday Mirror, which over the summer months pegged the gap between the two titles to just a few tens of thousands of copies, after benefiting from a sales surge of more than a million following the closure of News of the World.

MoS managing director Marcus Rich said that the sales performance was achieved without DVD or CD promotions. It now has a lead of 226,624 copies over the Sunday Mirror.

The Sunday Mirror reported a 3.9% month-on-month fall in circulation to 1,773,627. But this was still a massive 56.51% increase year-on-year.

Trinity Mirror stablemate the People lost 4.18% circulation month-on-month to 804,126. Sales of the paper are up 58.14% year-on-year.

Richard Desmond's Sunday Express also performed well with month-on-month sales down just 0.13% to 679,265. Year-on-year circulation is up 23.24%.

Among the quality Sunday titles the biggest faller was the Independent on Sunday with year-on-year sales down 15.17% to 130,942, and a 15.15% month-on-month fall.

The scale of the decline is in large part due to a decision to stop international distribution – some 27,597 copies – and cut out bulk copies. Since announcing the plan in mid-October, the IoS has cut bulks down by several tens of thousands to 55,003.

The Observer fell by 14.39% year-on-year to 268,355, a 1.71% month-on-month fall. The Observer, like Guardian News & Media sister title the Guardian, has stripped out international and bulk copies and in September announced a price rise. The Observer is also part of the group that publishes MediaGuardian.

In October the Sunday Telegraph fell 2.03% month-on-month, to 471,894, a 6.81% fall year on year.

The Sunday Times dropped 8.54% year-on-year to 967,990, a 1.65% month-on-month decline in sales.

Sunday Times

Headline circulation: 967,990

Month-on-month change: -1.65%

Year-on-year change:-8.54%

Overseas: 50,487

Sunday Telegraph

Headline circulation: 471,894

Month-on-month change: -2.03%

Year-on-year change: -6.81%

Overseas: 13,788

The Observer

Headline circulation: 268,355

Month-on-month change: -1.71%

Year-on-year change: -14.39%

Overseas: 0

Independent on Sunday

Headline circulation: 130,942

Month-on-month change: -15.15%

Year-on-year change: -15.17%

Overseas: 928

UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 75,012 (57.2% of total)

Mail on Sunday

Headline circulation: 2,000,251

Month-on-month change: +1.04%

Year-on-year change: -1.82%

Overseas: 107,419

UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 1,944,321 (89.8% of total)

Sunday Express

Headline circulation: 679,265

Month-on-month change: -0.13%

Year-on-year change: +23.24%

Overseas: 34,293

Sunday Mirror

Headline circulation: 1,773,627

Month-on-month change: -3.9%

Year-on-year change: +56.51%

Overseas: 43,563

The People

Headline circulation: 804,126

Month-on-month change: -4.18%

Year-on-year change: +58.14%

Overseas: 22,145

Daily Star Sunday

Headline circulation: 688,058

Month-on-month change: -2.17%

Year-on-year change: +97.92%

Overseas: 19,443

Headline circulation includes lesser rate sales, subscriptions, bulks – copies sold to airlines, rail companies, hotels and gyms for a nominal fee and given free to the public – and distribution in Ireland and overseas. UK and Ireland paid-for circulation excludes bulks and overseas distribution; where this figure is not given, bulks and overseas distribution account for less than 5% of total circulation

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